Fez Cooking Class: Learn Moroccan Dishes from Local Chefs

Shop the spice market, cook three Moroccan dishes, eat what you made

A Fez cooking class starts at the local marketplace where you select vegetables, meat, fish and Moroccan spices—ginger, cumin, cinnamon, saffron, turmeric and others—then move to a traditional kitchen to learn from native chefs how to prepare couscous, tagine and salad, plus bread baked by hand. The class runs 5 to 6 hours and includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a professional guide in English, French, Spanish or German; children are welcome from age 12.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cooking class and market visit

• Visit local marketplace
• Buy ingredients and spices
• Go to Moroccan kitchen
• Learn to cook Moroccan dishes
• Bake traditional bread
• Relax and enjoy meal

The Experience

The morning starts at the marketplace in Fez, where you walk through the stalls with your guide and pick out the ingredients and spices you'll cook with. You'll handle the vegetables, meat or fish, and choose from the full range of Moroccan spices—black pepper, white pepper, cumin, cinnamon, hot paprika, saffron threads, turmeric, nutmeg, fenugreek, coriander, thyme and garlic. This is not a tour of the market; you're shopping for a reason, and the guide helps you understand what each spice does and why it matters to the dishes ahead.

Once you have everything, the class moves to a traditional Moroccan kitchen where native Master Chefs teach you to cook. You'll make couscous, tagine and a Moroccan salad—the kind that varies from what you know, with dishes like Zaalouk that carry real heat and depth. You'll also bake bread by hand, the kind you eat fresh. The instruction covers technique, food training and how to layer flavors so the spices work together instead of fighting. By the end of the morning you've made three dishes from scratch.

After the work is done, you rest and eat what you've made. The class includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle, a bottle of water, and a professional guide who speaks English, French, Spanish or German. The whole experience runs 5 to 6 hours.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a professional guide in English, French, Spanish or German.
• marketplace shopping for vegetables, meat and Moroccan spices.
• hands-on cooking instruction from native Master Chefs.
• a bottle of water.
• and the meal you prepare in the kitchen.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Fes Morocco Tours

Is this one for you?You end the morning with three Moroccan dishes you made yourself and understand how to cook them again—the marketplace visit and native instruction are what make that possible instead of just watching someone else cook.

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Top questions

What Moroccan dishes do I actually make in the Fez cooking class?

You make couscous, tagine and a Moroccan salad—including varieties like Zaalouk that carry spice and depth—plus bread baked by hand. The native chefs teach you how to layer the spices so they work together in each dish.

Do I shop for ingredients myself, or does the class provide them?

You shop for the ingredients at the local Fez marketplace with your guide, selecting vegetables, meat or fish and the full range of Moroccan spices you'll need. This is part of the class and helps you understand what each ingredient does.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English, French, Spanish or German, so you can choose the language that works for you when you book.

Is this cooking class suitable for children?

Children are welcome from age 12 and up. The class is hands-on and runs 5 to 6 hours, so younger children may find the length and kitchen work challenging.

What's included in the price?

The class includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an air-conditioned vehicle, a bottle of water and instruction from native chefs. You pay for the ingredients you buy at the marketplace.